Apparatus for handling glass sheets



March l4, 1933. R J, ouv ux 1,901,463

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING GLASS SHEETS Filed may 14, 19:52

, 3nnentot FAouL cl Lam/max.

a transfer of the glass sheets, the

-may be transferred simultaneous Patented Mar. 14,

UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcr:

BAOUL J. LOUVIAUX, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 1'0LCIIBBEY-OW'Ilillil'S-FORD GLASS COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATIONOF OHIO APPARATUS FOR'HAHDLING GLASS SHEETS Application fled Kay 14,

The present invention relates broadly to sheet glass edging machines andmore particularly to means for transferring the glass sheets from thedischarge end of one edging machine to the receiving end of the same ora second edging machine.

In the glass surfacing art, it is customary to employ a continuous typeof machine for the grinding and/or polishing of the edges of glasssheets. Broadly stated, with such a machine, a plurality of glass sheetsare simultaneously ground and polished by supporting them side by sidein a substantially vertical position and passing them in a definitesubstantially horizontal path continuously over and in engagement with aseries of rotatable grinding and polishing elements usually in the formof grooved wheels. During the travel of the glass sheets through themachine, the lower edges thereof, which engage the grinding andpolishing wheels, are of course'first ground and then polished. As thesheets reach the discharge end of the machine, they are removedtherefrom and transferred either to the forward or receiving end of thesame machine or a second machine. During this are turned so as topresent another edge or grinding and polishing, after which they areagain moved through the machine. This e do of operations may be repeateduntil'a 1- 'four edges or any desirednumber of edges of the glass sheetshave been ground and polished.

The principal aim and object of this invention resides in the provisionof improved means whereby a plurality of lass sheets y from thedischarge end of one machine to the receiving end of the same or asecond machine and, during such transfer, turned so as to presentanother edge to be treated.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of anapparatus or device of novel and improved construction by means of whichthe glass sheets may be transferred from the discharge end of onemachine to the receiving end of the same or a second machine bothrapidly and con- 1932r Serial No. 811,379.

veniently and in a practical and eflicient manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing. I

In the-drawing forming a part of this application and wherein likenumerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same. I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the rear or discharge end of one machine,partially in section, and the forward or receiving end of a secondmachine showing the present invention in operative relation therewith.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the improved sheet transfer apparatus ordevice constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof, and

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is designated inits entirety by the letter A in Fig.

B designates the forward or receiving end of a second edging machine.While the two machines A and B have been shown as positioned in.substantial alignment with one another, it will of course beappreciated that these machines may be. arranged side by side or atright angles with respect to one another as desired-., However, it ispreferred that the discharge end of one machine be disposed inrelatively close proximity to thereceiving end of the other machine soas to faeilitate the transfer, of the glass sheets from the firstmachine to the second machine. It is also to be understood that thepresent invention is not restricted to use in connection with anyspecific type of'edging machine.

Each of the edging machines A and B, however, is preferably of that typewherein a dplurality a apted to be verticall disposed side by side inspaced relation re ative to, one another and passed in a substantiallyhorizontal path over and in contact with a plurality of sucl the rear ordischarge end of one sheet glass edging machine, while of sheets ofglass to be edged are I ml members 6 the pusher bloc they are removedthere accuses cessive 'grindin and/or olishing wheels. vention residesin the provision of novel and Thus, each mac me inclu es brie y a supnnroved means for transferring a pinporting framework 5 upon which iscarried a plurality of horizontally arranged chan- (only one beingshown), having positioned therein the supporting run ways 7longitudinally grooved as at 8. Also carried by the framework 5, areaplurality of grinding and/or olishing wheels 9, only one ofwhich hasBeen shown. However,

each surfacing wheel is adapted to be ro-,

tated within a receptacle 10 containing a suitable abrasive material andmay be driven by any suitable means. The upper portion of each surfacingwheel 9 is received within an o ning between two adjacent channel memers 6, and each wheel is provided with one or more grooves 11 around theperiphery thereof. These grooves are in substantial horizontal alignmentwith the grooves 8 in runways 7 The particular construction of thesurfacin wheels, together with the mounting an drive therefor, have notbeen illustrated specifically since they constitute n'o art of thepresent invention per se.

ounted above the runways 7 is an endless sprocket chain 12 trained ateach end of its loo about a sprocket 13, the run or flig t of the chainbeing supper upon and slidable over a stationary supporting member ortable 14. The upper edges of the side portions of the channel members 6con- Y stitute guide rails along which pusher blocks 15 are adapted toslide, these pusher blocks being suitably connected with and drivenforwardly by the lower run or fl' ht of sprocket chain 12. The pusherbloc preferabl provided with a plurality of slots within w ich the rearvertical ed es of the lass sheets 16 fit so that the said pusher lockstherefore serve to advance the glass sheets forwardly in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig, l. p

The glass sheets it are shown as being rectangular and during thesurfacing operation a plurality of these sheets are first stood on edgeside by side u on one of the runways 7 at the forward en of machine A,being maintained in roperly spaced relation by h 15. Upon driving of thesprocket chain 12, the pusher block will serve to advance the sheetsforwardly over successive surfacing wheels .9. As the sheets reach thedischarge end of machine A, rom and transferred either to the forward orreceiving end of v the same machine or to' the receiving and ot machineB. During the transfer of the glass sheets from machine A to machine thesaid sheets are of course turned so as for grinding and they are movefinishsaid second to resent another edgp polishing. after whi throughthe machine B to 95 e principal aim and object of this insprings bearingat 'lars 32 and 33 fixed to ing end thereof or to the receivin adaptedtobe arranged ate d When so block 37 are a apt'e'd to rahty of the glasssheets it simultaneously from the discharge end of machine A. to thereceiving end of the same machine or to the receiving end of machine B.The transfer means herein rovided consists of a device includin in itsconstruction a stationary rectangu ar bottom member or plate 17 and astationary upper member 18, said bottom plate and u per member beinconnected together in xed spaced relation relative to one another bymeans of the two connecting rods 19 and 20. These rods 19and 20 passthrough and are secured to the bottom plate 17 by nuts 21 and to theupper member 18 by nuts 22. The upper mem r is formed wit 1 asubstantially flat vertically disposed cen tral portion 23, while theopposite ends thereof are turned at substantially right angles to therental ears 24 and 25through w ich the connecting rods 19 and 20respectively pass Pivotally connected to the central vportion '23 ofmember 18, as at 26, is an eccentric or cam 27 and carried by this camis an opcrating handle or lever'28 by means of which the said cam may berotated about its pivot point 26. I

Slidably mounted upon the connecting rods 19 and 20, inwardly of member18, is a plate 29 movable toward and away from central portion to rovidehori- Y the bottom plate.17. However, the plate 29 I is normall urgedaway from. plate 17 by means of t e compression springs 39 and 311encircling rods 19 one end against the plate 29 and at their oppositeends against the colrods 19 and 20. The movable plate 29 carries uponits inner surface a block deformed with a plurality of grooves 35 withinwhich the upper and 29 respectively, said.

edges of the glass sheets it are adapted to Q be received, the loweredges or the glass sheets being received within similar grooves 36formed in a block .37 secured to the inner surface of base plate 17 a iIn accordance wit the resent invention, the channel member 6 an runwayv7 at the rear or discharge end of each machine A and B are cut awa asindicated at 38 in Fig. 1, and when it is rality or group of glasssheets 16 from the discharge end of machine A to the repleivg machine.B. the transfer device is a apted to he removabgy associated withmachine A ca transfer device. is

More speci lly, the

in a vertical position j with the bottom p 17 thereof received withinthe cut away portion 38 of runway itioned, the

the ves 8 in runway fer evice has been fitted the runway, as

desired to transfer a pluooves 36 inv e'i a ignment with:

7. After the transdescribed above, the lever 28 is swung to the left asshown in Fig. 2 so that the plate 29 will be urged upwardly away fromlate 17 by the compression springs 30 an 31, whereupon the distancebetween the upper i and lower clamping blocks 34 and 37 respectivel willbe relatively greater than the height 0 the glass sheets 16 to the endthat the said sheets can be moved by the pusher block 15 along therunway 7 and over the bottom plate 17. When the glass sheets are movedto a desired position, the operator swings the handle 28 to the rightwhereupon the cam 27 will act to move the plate 29 downwardly againstthe action of springs 30 and 31 so as to cause the upper block 34 toengage the upper edges of the glass sheets, and of course when this isdone the glass sheets will be firmly clamped between the clamping blocks34 and 37.

While holding the sheets thus clamped, the operator can remove the saidsheets simultaneousl from the machine A and transfer them either to thereceiving end of the same machine or the receiving end of machine B asshown in Fig. 1. During the transfer of the glass sheets, the operatorturns the sheets ninety degrees and places them upon the runway 7 at theforward end of machine B. The handle 28 is then again swung to the leftwhereupon the clamping block 34 will again be moved out of engagementwith the glass sheets and the transfer device can then be easily andquickly removed from the sheets. i he pusher block 15 is then moved toengage the rear edges of the sheets and to advance the said sheetsforwardly through the machine B to rind and/or polish the lower edgesthereoi i This 0 cle of operations can be repeated until all our or anydesired number of edges of the sheets have been surfaced.

During the transferring of the glass sheets, the said sheets will ofcourse be maintained in properly spaced relation relative to one anotherdue to the fact that the opposite edges thereof are received within thegrooves in the clamping blocks 34 and 37.

From the above, it will be readily apparent,

that by means of the present invention, a plurality of glass sheets canbe transferred simultaneously from the discharge end of one machine tothe receiving end of the same or a second machine and at the same timeturned to present another edge to be surfaced. This can be effected bothrapidly and conveniently and obviates the necessity of transferring theindividual sheets one at a time.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, andthat various changes in. the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the sheets of spirit of the inventionor the scope of the clamp a plurality of glass sheets therebetween, andmeans carried by the stationary and movable members for maintaining thesheets in properly spaced relation relative to one another.

2. A device for transferring a plurality of glass simultaneously fromthe discharge end of one edging machine to the receiving end of the sameor a second edging machine, comprising a stationary member, a secondmember spaced from the stationary member and movable toward and awayfrom the same, means for normally urging the movable member away fromthe stationary member, means for moving said movable member toward saidstationary member to clamp a plurality of glass sheets therebetween, andmeans carried by the stationary and movable members for maintainin thesheets in properly spaced relation reiiitive to one another.

3. A device for transferring a plurality tionary member and movabletoward and away from the same, means for connecting the stationary andmovable members together, means carried by said connecting means formoving said movable member toward said stationary member to clamp aplurality. of glass sheets therebetween, and means carried by thestationary and movable members for maintaining the sheets in properlyspaced relation relative to one another.

4. A device for transferring a lurality of sheets of glasssimultaneously rom the discharge end of one edging machine to thereceiving end of the same or a second edging machine, comprising astationary member, a second member spaced from the stationary member andmovable toward and away from the same, means for connecting thestationary and movable members together, means carried by the connectingmeans for normally urging the m vable member away from the stationarymember, 7

of glass a second member spaced from the stationary member and movabletoward and away from the same, a plurality of rods connected to thestationary member and upon which the movable member 18 slidably mounted,means also carried by the rods outwardly of'sald movable member formovingthe same to ward the stationary member to clamp a plurality of(glass sheets therebetween, and means carrie by said stationary andmova- ZQ ble members for maintaining the sheets in properlyspacedrelation relative to one another. v a

6. A device for transferring a lurality of sheets of lass simultaneouslyrom the discharge end of one edging machine to the receiving end of thesame or a second edging machine, comprising a stationary member, asecond member spaced from the stationary member and movable toward andaway from the same, ,a plurality of rods connected to the stationarymember and upon which ,thmovable member is slidably. mounted, springmeans encircling the rods and acting to normally ur e the movable memberaway from t e ary member, means carried by said rods outwardly of said.movable member for mov ing the same toward the stationary member toclamp a plurality of'glass sheets there between, and means carried bysaid stationary and movable members for maintaining the sheets inproperly spaced relation relative to one another.

7. A devicefor transferring a plurality of sheets of lass simultaneouslyrom the discharge-en of one edging machine to the receiving end ofthe'same one second ed 'ng machine, com rising a stationary mem r, asecond mem r spaced from the stationary member and movable toward andaway from the same, a plurality of rodsconnected to the stationarymember and upon which the movable member is slidahiy mounted, springmeans encircling the r and acting to normally .urge the movable memberaway from the statlonary member, cam means carried by said rodsoutwardly of said movable member for moving the same toward thestationary member to clamp a lurality of glass sheets therebetween andmeans carried by K said stationary and movable members and havin oovesfor receiving the opposite edges oi tlgd glass; sheets therein wherebyto maintain the-said sheets in prop erly spaced relation relative to oneanother.

sheets therebetween, and means cars ation-' 'tionary base member techies8. The combination with an edging machine including a grooved runway atthe ends, of a device for transferring the phi-- rality of sheetssimultaneously from the runway to the receiving end of the same or asecond edgingmachme, including a stationary base member adapted to fitwithin the cut-away portion of the runway and being formed with aplurality of grooves arranged in alignment with the grooves of saidrunway, an upper member movable toward and away from the base member,

means for normally urging the upper memher away from the base membenlandmeans ortionof the runway and being formed with a plurality of groovesarranged side by V a point intermediate its" the receiving end of: thesame for moving said upper member toward said base member to clamp theglass sheets therebetween.

10. The combination with an edging ma-' chine including a grooved runwayat the discharge end thereof and along which a of glass sheets arrangedside by.

plurality side are adapted to be moved, said runway being cut awayv at apoint intermediate its ends, of a device for transferring the pluralityof sheets simultaneously from the run way to the receiving end of thesame or asecond edging machine includin a staapted to t within thecut-away portion of the runway and being formed with a pluralityofgrooves arranged in alignment with the grooves of said runway, ,an uppermember movable' toward and away from the base member, means forconnecting. the base member and upper member together,'and means carriedby said connecting means for movin' said upper member toward said baseinem er to clamp the glasssheets therebetween. 1

11. The combination with an edgingma:

chine including a grooved runway at the disc'hargeend thereof and alongwhich a plurality of glass sheets arranged side by end thereof and alongwhich a plurality glass sheets arranged side by side are above said baseadapted to be move edging machine,

side are adapted to be moved, said runway being cut away at a pointintermediate its ends, of a device for transferring the plurality ofsheets simultaneously from the runway to the receiving end of the sameor a second edging machine, including a stationary base member adaptedto fit within the cut-away portion of the runway and being formed with aplurality of grooves arranged in alignment with the grooves of saidrunway, an upper member movable toward and away from the base member,means for connecting the base member and upper member together, meanscarried by the connecting means for normally urging the upper memberaway from the base memher, and means also carried by the connectingmeans for movin said upper member toward saidbase mem er to clamp theglass sheets therebetween.

12. The combination with an ed 'n chine including a runway at theadapted to be moved, said runway being cut away at a point intermediateits ends, of a device for transferring the plurality of sheetssimultaneousl from the runway to the receiving end 0 Y the same or asecond including a base member adapted to fit within the cut-awayportion of the runway,

member, means for connecting said members together, and means foreffecting relative movement between the members to clamp the glasssheets therebetween.

13. The combination with an ed 'n chine including a runwa at the endthereof and along w ich a plurality of glass sheets arran ed side byside are said runway being cut away at a point intermediate its ends, ofa device for transferring the plurality of sheets simultaneousl from therunway to the re eiving end 0 the same or a second edging machine,including a base member adapted to fit within the cut-away portion ofthe runway, an upper member spaced above said base member, means forconnect-- ing said members together, means for efi'ecting relativemovement between the members to clamp the glass sheets therebetween, andmeans carried by the said members for maintaining the sheets in properlyspaced relation relative to one another.

Signed at Toledo, and State of Ohio, 1932.

in the county of Lucas RAOUL J. LOUVIAUX.

scargean upper member spaced arge this 12th day of May

